CVE-2021-4160

MEDIUM

OpenSSL 1.0.2-1.0.2zb, 1.1.1-1.1.1l, 3.0.0 - Carry Propagation Bug in MIPS32/MIPS64 Squaring Procedure

Title source: llm
STIX 2.1

Description

There is a carry propagation bug in the MIPS32 and MIPS64 squaring procedure. Many EC algorithms are affected, including some of the TLS 1.3 default curves. Impact was not analyzed in detail, because the pre-requisites for attack are considered unlikely and include reusing private keys. Analysis suggests that attacks against RSA and DSA as a result of this defect would be very difficult to perform and are not believed likely. Attacks against DH are considered just feasible (although very difficult) because most of the work necessary to deduce information about a private key may be performed offline. The amount of resources required for such an attack would be significant. However, for an attack on TLS to be meaningful, the server would have to share the DH private key among multiple clients, which is no longer an option since CVE-2016-0701. This issue affects OpenSSL versions 1.0.2, 1.1.1 and 3.0.0. It was addressed in the releases of 1.1.1m and 3.0.1 on the 15th of December 2021. For the 1.0.2 release it is addressed in git commit 6fc1aaaf3 that is available to premium support customers only. It will be made available in 1.0.2zc when it is released. The issue only affects OpenSSL on MIPS platforms. Fixed in OpenSSL 3.0.1 (Affected 3.0.0). Fixed in OpenSSL 1.1.1m (Affected 1.1.1-1.1.1l). Fixed in OpenSSL 1.0.2zc-dev (Affected 1.0.2-1.0.2zb).

Scores

CVSS v3 5.9
EPSS 0.0042
EPSS Percentile 61.9%
Attack Vector NETWORK
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

CISA SSVC

Vulnrichment
Exploitation none
Automatable no
Technical Impact partial

Details

Status published
Products (14)
debian/debian_linux 9.0
debian/debian_linux 10.0
debian/debian_linux 11.0
openssl/openssl 3.0.0 (20 CPE variants)
openssl/openssl 1.0.2 - 1.0.2zb
oracle/enterprise_manager_ops_center 12.4.0.0
oracle/health_sciences_inform_publisher 6.2.1.1
oracle/health_sciences_inform_publisher 6.3.1.1
oracle/jd_edwards_enterpriseone_tools 9.2.6.3
oracle/jd_edwards_world_security a9.4
... and 4 more
Published Jan 28, 2022
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026